Britney Spears has said her dad 'should be in jail' during her conservatorship hearing in Los Angeles.
The pop superstar's personal affairs and finances have been overseen by a court-ordered conservatorship - a legal arrangement usually reserved for the elderly or infirm - since 2008.
Spears was deemed unable to look after herself following a series of public breakdowns that were splashed across the press.
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Her dad, 68-year-old Jamie, had controlled both aspects of his daughter's conservatorship until September 2019, when he stepped down from overseeing her personal affairs due to health reasons.
Spears has since tried to oust him from his role running her multimillion dollar estate - a position he shares with wealth management firm Bessemer Trust.
According to The Independent, Spears told the court today (Wednesday 23 June): "I am not happy, I can't sleep. I'm so angry, it's insane. And I'm depressed.
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"My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management... they should be in jail.
"The last time I spoke to you [the judge] ... made me feel like I was dead. I am telling you again because I am not lying ... so maybe you can understand the depth and the degree and the damages... I deserve changes."
She added: "I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. I don't feel like I can live a full life."
Spears most recently spoke in court in May 2019, but the judge cleared the room for that hearing.
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In April, her lawyer Samuel D Ingham revealed his client wanted to speak again.
The announcement was welcomed fans who gathered in downtown Los Angeles for the hearing.
Spears' supporters launched the #FreeBritney movement, arguing she was capable of looking after herself. Members of the group often claim to have spotted secret messages in the singer's social media posts.
Jamie has dismissed the movement as being filled with conspiracy theorists.
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Spears' court appearance comes after months of escalation in the conservatorship case.
In November, Ingham told the court Spears was 'afraid' of Jamie and would not perform again while he remained conservator. She has not performed live since October 2018.
Her life and career attracted renewed attention earlier this year following the release of the headline-making documentary Framing Britney Spears, which she said caused her to 'cry for weeks'.
In a post on Instagram, she wrote: "I didn't watch the documentary but from what I did see of it I was embarrassed by the light they put me in ... I cried for two weeks and well .... I still cry sometimes!!!!"
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The hearing comes after The New York Times obtained documents which revealed that Spears has long objected to the conservatorship and the powers her dad has had over - which reportedly dictated everything from romantic relationships, to the colour of her kitchen cabinets.
Topics: Celebrity, Music, US News, Britney Spears